Valve mechanism



J. V. GIESLER VALVE MECHANISM Dec. 9, 1930.

Filed Aug 14. 1926 Patented Dec. 9,

UNI-TEDl Vs'raxrlazs PATENT OFFICE d v. GESIEB, F KNOXVILDE, TENNBSIE, 'ASSIGNOL BY MSNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE FULTON SYLPHON COMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, T

TION F DELAWABE` SEE, A coaroaa- VALVE HECHANISH e i Application led August 14, 1926. Serial Io. 189,182.

This invention'relates to thermostaticallycontrolled valve mechanism, and particularly to valve mechanism of this character for controllin the circulation of a cooling medium throug the cooling system of an internal combustion engine.

It is an'object of this invention to provide a thermostatically-controlled valve mechanism of simplified construction so that the same may be inexpensively constructed of a minimum number of parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a thermostatically-controlled valve mechanism of improvedconstruction where- 16 in the valve member cooperates with the valve port to guide and limit its movement in both directions. x

Other objects will appear as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention is capable of receiving a vaf riet fof mechanical expressions, one of which is s own on the accompanying drawin but it is to be expressly understoodthat the drawing' is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended ,claims-for, that urpose.

The rawing illustrates an en arged axial section of one embodimentof the present inventlon.

In the form shown, a ring 1 is provided withan aperture 2 which constitutes a valve port. Said ring 1 is constructed in any suitable way so that it ma be mounted in or on a suitable element of t evsystem for circulating a cooling medium, either with or without a surrounding housin depending upon its intended 'location Sultably mounted on the ring 1, as by pins 3, is a device for supporting a thermostatic element. Said device may ta e the form of a suitably shaped casing provided with suitable apertures to permit circulation, but is shown as composed of crossed U-shaped straps 4 pinned to the ring 1 at theirl extremities andprovided with an aperture 5 where they cross. If desired, a single U-shaped strap could be used, or more than two straps could be disposed angularly with respect to eachother so as to approximate a surrounding casing to a greater or less degree. Said ring 1 and the supporting means 4 may be referred to as frame members.

Mounted on said straps in any suitableway is a thermostaticelement of any suitable construction and character.V In the form shown, the thermostat takes the form of a deeplycorrugated flexible wall 6, of any suitable material, preferably resilient metal, closed at one end b a movable end wall 7, secured in any suita le way to an end corrugation of said wall, and closed at its opposite end by a stationary end wall 8, suita ly secured to the opposite end corrugation of said wall. The stationary end wall 8 is shown as provided with a central threaded hub 9 whereby .the wall 8 may be mounted on the straps 4 with the hub 9 through the aperture 5 by means of a nut 11 threaded onto said hub 9. Said hlib'9 is also shown as provided with a filling opening 12 which may be sealed after the thermostat is charged by a plug 13 of any suitable character.

A cylindrical stop member`14 is shown as mounted within the bellows 6 on the stationary end wall 8, the same being secured to said (wall 8 in any suitable way as by solder, -and constitutes an interior stop for limiting the contraction of the bellows prior to the assembl of the thermostat and valve mechanism with the portedvmember 1. The thermostat constituted by the bellows- 6 with its movable and stationary end walls 7 and 8 is charged with a thermo-sensitive lfluid of any suitable character,v preferably at a pressure below atmospheric atnormal or atmospheric temperature so that' atmospheric pressure tends to collapse the bellows at normal temperature.

The valve member is operatively connected in any suitable way with the movablewall 7 of the thermostat and, inA conformity with the present invention, said valve member is so constructed as to perform not only the function of a valve but also actas a guide for the valve and a lstop for the valve in both directions of movement. In the form shown the movable end wall 7 is provided with a centrally arranged threaded post 15 and mounted on said post is a winged member 16'hav1ng a centrally arranged'interiorlythreaded hub 100 17 and a plurality of radially extending wings l18. In the form shown four wings are disposed at right angles to each other, but it is to be expressly understood that a smaller or larger number of wings may be employedV if desired. Said winged Imember 16 may be retained on the threaded post 15 in any suitable way as by a transverse pin 19. Said wings 18 are of such radial length that they lit slidingly but freely within the aperture 2 which constitutes the valve port, so that said wings cooperate with said port to guide the movement of the valve member as the thermostatic element expands and contracts. At the inner end of each wing, there is provided a radially extending projection 20 which is designed to engage the inner face 21 of the ring 1 and limit the outward or opening movement of the valve when the thermostatic element expands.

The'valve disk proper is of any suitable size, material and construction and is mounted on the winged member 16 in any suitable way. In the form shown, the valve disk proper takes the form of a disk 22 which is of greater diameter than the vport 2 so that it will seat on the outer wall 23 of the ring 1 and thereby close the port 2. Said valve disk 22 is shown as secured to the winged member 16 by means of a screw 24 threaded into the hub 17 of said winged member, preferably with the interposition of a washer 25 between the head of said screw and said valve disk, but said valve disk may be formed integrally with said winged member 16 and the projections 20 be formed on a separable member, if preferred. If desired, a leakage port (not shown) may be provided through the disk 22 for a purpose well understood in the art. In order to prevent rotation of the valve disk with respect to the winged member, said disk may be provided with a suitable projection 26 for engagement in a corresponding notch in one of the wings 18 so as to key the disk to said winged member, or relative rotationr may be prevented in any other suitableway.

The valve port 2 is preferably made-of a diameter equal to or` greater than the outside diameterof the bellows 6. The effective. area of the valve disk exposed to the circulating medium at its inner side is thus substantially greater than the effective area of the bellows (which is something less than the area of a circle having the outside diameter of the bellows and something more than the area of a circle having the inside diameter of the bellows), so that the expansion of the thermostatic element may be aided by the pressure on the inner face of the valve disk 22 when the structure is so mounted that the valve opens in the direction of water circulation. While this is the preferred construction, the

effective area of the valve disk may be made` valve disk is greater than the effective area of the bellows,the unbalanced pressure on-the valve causes the temperature at which the thermostat expands to be lowered, while the reverse is true when the effective area of the valve disk is made smaller than the eective area' of the bellows.

In operation, the thermostatic valve mechanism heretofore described is suitably mounted in any appropriate portion of the system for circulating the cooling medium; thus it may be suspended in the engine jacket so as to depend into the jacket space or into a chamber communicating with the jacket space, or it may be mounted to project into the radiator, or' it may be mounted in any suitable portion of the upper or the lower water circulating pipes conventionally used in the cooling systems of internal combustion engines. When the cooling medium. is cool,

Athe thermostatic element is contracted and the tendency of the bellows to be collapsed against said stop by atmospheric pressure.

When the temperature ofthe cooling medium has risen to that point at which it is intended to permit circulation of the cooling medium, the thermostatic element expands due to the pressure change of itscontained thermo-sensitive Huid, and valve 22 is lifted olf itis seat, permitting circulation ofthe cooling medium through the' port 2. If `the thermostat continues to expand the projecjtions 20 on the wings18 engage the inner face 21 of the ring 1 and positively limit the movement of the valve and the expansion of the thermostat. When the thermostatic ele-` ment is contracted, the valve disk 22 engages the outer'face 23 of the ring 1 and limits the contraction of the thermostat. Whether the thermostat is expanding or contracting the valve member is positively guided by the coaction of the Wings 18 with the wall ofthe l port 2.

When the thermostat is charged below atmospheric pressure, the occurrence of a leak in the vessel will result in the equalization of the pressure interiorly and exteriorly of the same, and where the valve disk is of greater effective area than the bellows, the pressure of the circulating cooling medium (when the -unit is so installed that the valve opens in the direction of circulation) results in an unbalanced pressure on the/valve disktending to open the valve and permit circulation irrespective of the temperature of the medium. This unbalanced pressure may be relied on to move the valve to its safety position or. the thermostat itselfl may .be constructed in any suitable way to aid or cause those skilled in the art,`wl1ile changes may be made in the details of construction, ar-

the movement of the valve to its safety position.

It will therefore be perceived that a simple thermostatic valve mechanism has been provided which is composed of a minimum number of parts and may therefore be inexpensively constructed. At the same time the valve member is so constructed that the valve is positively" guided and positively limited -in both directions of movement.

While the embodiment of the invention illustrated on the drawing has been described with considerable particularity, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not to be restricted thereto, as the same is capable of receiving a variety of expressions, some of which will now suggest themselves to rangement and proportion of parts Without departing from the spiritof this invention. Reference is therefore lto be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits ofthe invention. i

What is claimed is 1. In a thermostatically controlled valve unit, in combination with a-member providing a valve port, an expansible and contractible thermostatic element, a valve member having a greater area than said valve port and connected to said thermostatic element, said valve member being adapted to seat on said first named member and close said port, and means connected to and disposed between said valve member and thermostatic element and having laterally projecting elements which cooperate with the periphery of said port to limit the opening movement of said valve member.

2. In a thermostatically controlled valve unit, in combination with a member-providing a valve port, an expansible and contractible thermostatic element, a valve member having a greater area than said valve port and connected to said thermostatic element, said valve member being adapted to seat on said first named member and close said port, and means connected to and disposed between said valve member and thermostatic element and having radially extending winvs which cooperate with the periphery of said port to guide the opening and closing movements of said valvemember, said wings being provided with projections for limiting the expansive movement of said thermostatic element.

3. Inl a thermostaticall controlled valve unit, in combination wit a pair of frame members, one .of said members being provided with a valve seat and port, an expansible and contractible thermostatic element supported on the other of said members, a valve member of greater area than said port operatively connected to said thermostatic element and adapted to engage said seat, and means associated with said 'valve member, and adapted to with a valve seat and port, an expansible and contractible thermostatic element supported on the other of said members, a member having radial wings attached to said thermostatic element, and a valve member of eater area than said port attached to said winged member and adapted to engage said seat, said winged member cooperating with said valve seat member at the periphery of said port to serve as a combined valve guide and stop for limit-ing the expansion of said thermostatic element.

5. In a thermostatically controlled valve unit, in combination with a member providing a valve port, an expansible and contractible thermostatic element, a member operatively connected to said thermostatic element and a valve disk mounted on said member and adapted to limit the contraction of said thermostatic element by seating against said iirstnamed member, said second named member being also provided with means adapted to engage said-irst-named member at the eriphery of said port and limit the expansion of said thermostatic element. y

6. In a thermostatically controlled valve unit, in combination with a member providina a valve port, an expansible and contractible thermostatic element, a member operatively connected to said thermostatic element and a valve disk attached to said member and adapted to limit the contraction of said thermostatic element by seating against said rstnamed member, said second named member being provided with wings cooperating with the peripheral wall o'f said port to guide said member in its movements and with rojections to limit the expansion of saidft ermostatic element.

7. In a thermostatically controlled valve unit, in combination with means providing a valve port, an expansible and contractible thermostatic element, a member operatively connected to said thermostatic element, and a valve disk mounted on said member, said member being provided with means cooperating witl the periphery of said port for guiding the movement of said valve member and limiting the expansion of said thermostatic element.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

J EAN, V. GIESLER. 

